O where O where has Miss Brittney gone....?

Here she is!

------------------------------

After another stress-FULL semester, I am back on the radar. I had 18 credit hours on my plate this semester, including my Spanish Senior Capstone class (aka: prove to your professors that you are good at Spanish). As per every semester, I also spent about 25 hours per week working at Crawdaddy's and an additional 5 hours per week finishing my scholarship hours. When all of those add up, Brittney is left with very few hours to sleep, clean house, blog, or travel to Sparta during the week. I think the picture to the right shows that my hard work paid off this Fall, and boy am I glad it's over! The "I" on that 'report card' is what I'm really excited to talk about....CHILE!!!

-------------------------------------

During this semester, I participated in a Geology class whose main goal was to study the geological uniqueness of the South American country of Chile. When they were planning the class, the Geology Department graciously invited Spanish majors to participate by studying the culture, history and language of the place. On January 4th, there are 16 of us that will be making our way down to the "Land of Contrasts" to see volcanoes, marine terraces and rocks, rocks, rocks! From January 4th to the 16th, I will have the opportunity to see many different regions of the country, from the great Chilean glaciers to the bright city lights of La Serena. I'm super excited to take some Andes mints with me so I can eat Andes in the Andes :). As usual, I will be sure to put up pictures and blogs of my travels as soon as possible!!!

Until next time,

love love love

B

Camalu and Back: Well Worth the Love...

As my trip to Mexico with the Baja Missions group came to a close, I couldn't help but realize the great number of traits we all share with the poverty-stricken population of Camalu. Throughout my week in the desert area, I got to see, hear, and feel the troubles and trials of a people that I thought to be much different than myself. I interacted with children who depend on the generous hands of others for their very lives.

However, what I noticed most was their overwhelming desire to be touched, held, and loved. It mattered not to Mani that he was wearing the same dirt-ridden outfit that he had worn the entire previous week. His hunger pangs did not overwhelm him as he kicked his partially-deflated soccer ball around the weeded desert lot. His few hours of interrupted sleep under a tarped roof and on a disgarded mattress was enough to get him through another smiling day in his life of hard knocks without complaint. However, as soon as Mani got the chance, he only asked the simple favor of being held. The touch of another human being--even one that knew nothing of his rough-and-tumble upbringing--was all he longed for. Mani could go without the rice and beans rations for a few days. Mani could even live through a few cold and sleepless nights. He could gather dirt smudges on his one set of clothing for a year, but he couldn't go on much longer without the loving touch of another.

This is what makes you and I just like Mani. During my week in Camalu, Baja California, I missed the touch and the presence of those closest to me. I longed to be held just like Mani. I wanted so badly to just be next to someone and feel their presence.

After experiencing this Baja Missions trip, I now realize why everyone who is willing and able should take part. Even if you can't dig a hole, push a wheelbarrow, take someone's blood pressure, or speak the native tongue, you can hold a child. It was worth the 1700 miles to hold a child.

love. love. nothing but love.
brittney

UPdate...

So.........the news on my Accutane:

crazy what a little pill can do, huh?

I finished my Accutane in May, went back to the doctor in June for my checkup, and I have to go back again after six months.

You can't see it in the picture, but I still have a rather large bloodspot on my left cheek that is rather annoying. Dr. Mitchell thinks that this will fade as the six months pass. We shall see.

Did I enjoy Accutane? Hell no. Am I glad I did it? Absolutely. I mean, look at the difference.

Adios, pizza face.

love love love.

Brittney

atlantic seawater green eyed grass...

i'm sorry for wakin' you up so early.

i just couldn't wait to talk to you.

and i lied awake last night till this morning.

thinkin' of all that we've been through.

and i'm crazy 'bout your touch.

crazy 'bout your kiss.

crazy 'bout the way you make me carry on like this.

crazy 'bout your smile.

like a burnin' desire.

adding fuel to the fire.

with the wind that blows.

out of control.

sunshine made its way through the curtains.

as you wiped the sleep from my eyes.

dreaming wide awake is for certain.

when you are the one here by my side.

i'm crazy 'bout your touch.

crazy 'bout your kiss.

crazy 'bout the way you make me carry on like this.

crazy 'bout your smile.

like a burnin' desire.

addin' fuel to the fire.

with the wind that blows.

out of control.

for me to hold back.

it's too much to ask.

i'm crazy 'bout your touch.
crazy 'bout your kiss.
crazy 'bout the way you make me carry on like this.
crazy 'bout your smile.
like a burnin' desire.
addin' fuel to the fire.
with the wind that blows.
out of control.

--jayron weaver & delnora reed

blue eyed grass

sweetly bitter...

After a Spring semester sure to rid me of all thoughts of free time or a social life, summer has finally arrived. My reward to myself for another year of college completed: a return trip to Costa Rica. I promised my family and friends that I would return to see them, y a Brittney no le gusta romper ninguna promesa ni compromiso. Entonces, I planned a ten-day trip back to that country that I love so much.

After arriving "home" on Monday (the 11th) I was sure to spend plenty of time with Dulce and Melissa, visit my favorite coffee shop and internet cafe, take my familiar bus routes, and drink a few Imperials and Bavarias for old times' sake. Dulce insisted that I stay in her house for nothing, and she even made my old favorite meals for me unnecessarily. If there is one thing to say about most Latin Americans, it's that they will open their houses, wallets, arms, and hearts to you and expect nothing for it. I had missed she and Melissa both, and I was ecstatic to get to see the two of them again. Her house was just the same: looked the same. smelled the same. This familiarity immediately took effect in me, and I felt as if it were my home all over again. What fulfillment.

Of course, I wasn't the only one that was in town for the week. Elena was at the airport with Dulce to pick me up. Who did she bring with her? Marco Venicio. Ah. even more Costa Rican familiarity. I spent most of my week passing the tico time with Ellen and Marco, enjoying their company and Spanglish conversation. The three of us enjoyed a weekend beach trip to Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio including a nice climb to the lookout point. What a gorgeous creation. At the sight of such a unique coastline with intricate, jagged rocks and such perfectly crashing waves, it is more than difficult to entertain the thought of mere non-existence of God Himself. I believe He is a skilled artist, and Costa Rica was his painting that he completed for fun.

I attempted to explain to Elena the feeling that overwhelmed me as I explored the known territory that is Heredia, Costa Rica. I quickly found that I was not overly excited to be abroad for vacation: I was simply content to be back home. I felt just like I feel going back home to Sparta for a basketball game: I know most people and most all places, everything is still very familiar, but some things have changed in a minimal way. I missed mi segunda patria, and walking the streets of Heredia with gravity-defying raindrops landing on my shoulders was a breath of fresh air.

Every time that I travel, I find it easy to remove myself from any situation that is going on at home and metacognitively assess my own thoughts and actions concerning said circumstance. It's usually an easy self-reflection because I have no external influences on my thoughts. Upon traveling this past week, one of my main internal conversations concerned my loves in life: travel and family. I learned this past week that even though I consistently seem to think I can conquer the world single-handedly and live independently for the rest of my existence, I realized that I really have nothing without those who are closest to me. Traveling to Costa Rica for ten days for a vacation is fantastic but only if I have someone to share it with. One love is not complete without the other in my life. Travel is important to me, but my family and friends are even more important. I need you both.

On that note, my trip was sadly cut a few days short on account of the death of my grandmother, Sarah Elisabeth Geer Barker. With her age and condition, the event was to be expected, but no one ever wants to say goodbye to someone they love. After a long day of travel on Tuesday, I sorrowfully attended services to honor my mema and to pay respects to her life. I will never forget making kleenex-box apartment buildings for my "Anne of Green Gables" paper dolls, reading Bible stories and learning the names of its books, eating pizza hot pockets with sweet peas and crangrape juice out of saved preserves jars, and riding that springy horse for hours on end. I won't forget the alarm box that I was supposed to wear around my neck in case I was kidnapped. I won't forget going to Aunt Sally's for chocolate chip cookies on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. I won't forget feeding the goats and avoiding the electric fence. I won't forget the moon pies. I won't forget the two dollars every birthday and Christmas--five when it was a good year. I won't forget lime sherbert even though I didn't need it. I won't forget your French harp. I won't forget the letters and cards in such precise grandma script. I won't forget that you loved me bunches and bunches. I will miss you terribly, Mema, and I won't forget you. See you soon.

Until we meet again...
love. love. love.
B

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas is over...

My last post was a few days before the Christmas holiday, and life has been crazy-busy since. Kellous was home for two weeks, and I spent as much time with him as was possible. We have become really close, and having him home was a blessing.

The Crawdaddy's Christmas party was on Sunday, the 20th of December, and I took Kellous as my date. We got dressed up and headed to Crawdaddy's for dinner cooked by Drew, our boss and the owner of the restaurant. Some of our regular guests who we serve quite often, the "Streamliner group," surprised all of we employees by serving dinner to us instead of the other way around. We then had a secret santa where Darla gave me a pinata as a gag gift...perfect, no? Christmas parties and work get-togethers remind me of how much I love working with the people I work with. I enjoy my job.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Christmas was great this year, and I was so glad to see everyone all together again. I still love doing Christmas morning at Mama's every year, and I think Mom is eventually going to have to just refuse to participate before we'll stop expecting the Christmas morning tradition. We love it :) Mama also hosted Christmas this year, and everything was fantastic (especially my green bean casserole hehehe). Soup-n-crackers Christmas at aunt Carolyn's was also a great hit. I LOVE traveling the world and being away, but there's something about being with your family in the south around the holidays that I just can't miss.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After spending New Year's Eve with friends, Kellous had to leave in the early morning on Friday, January 2nd. I said a weepy goodbye and then made my way to Red Boiling Springs to fulfill my wedding coordinator duties to Sam and Joe and decorate the church. Mama went up to help, and I spent all day Friday and Saturday preparing for their wedding. I tried my best to keep Sam stress-free, and as much as I enjoyed coordinating, I have decided it is not the job for me (haha). It was a beautiful candlelit ceremony, and I pray that it was everything they hoped for. I stood in the corner and shed my tears as two of my great friends joined their lives as one. Congratulations Joe and Sam. I love you both.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...and finally...ACCUTANE Update:

I have now been taking Claravis for 26 days. I have to go back to the doctor on Tuesday to refill my prescription.

My face seems to have cleared up quite a bit (see previous pictures), but with good results also come bad ones.

My skin is so incredibly dry. I layer on the moisturizer, and thirty seconds later, the skin on my nose is already peeling off because it is so dry. I can't wear too much makeup because it simply flakes off and looks stupid.

My lips are CRAZY chapped all the time...in this picture, I had just put on three layers of blistex, so they don't look too bad.

My scalp itches like crazy because it is so dry, but I must say that one positive side effect has been that my hair does not collect as much oil as it used to. Before Accutane, I HAD to wash my hair every single day. If not, it would collect oil from my hands, the air, etc, and be greasy instantly. I can now go 3 days without washing my hair, and it is just fine. I LOVE that.

I have to say that the worst side effect so far has to be the boogers. I know, I know--that sounds disgusting. However, being on this drug means that EVERYTHING dries up--including the inside of my nose. A common side effect of Accutane is constant bloody noses. Instead of having a bloody nose, the blood simply dries in my nose and gives me bloody boogers....I KNOW--GROSS!! It's KILLING me!!

I just have to keep my eye on the prize--Clear Skin!!

Until next time....love. love. love. Brittney.